


Whistle, and I'll Come to You

by Writcraft



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Domestic Violence, M/M, References to Suicide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-10
Updated: 2013-01-10
Packaged: 2017-11-24 09:15:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/632798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writcraft/pseuds/Writcraft
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They fell in love against all of the odds and lived through two wars.  But death, when it comes, is quick and merciless.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Whistle, and I'll Come to You

**Author's Note:**

> The title is from the story ‘Oh Whistle, and I’ll Come to You, My Lad.' Written for HP Darkfest 2012 on LJ

“He’s just a pointy faced little odd-ball in love with the Dark Arts, Moony! I don’t know why you always have to defend him.”

“Because it’s bloody cruel and you know it. He’s just lonely.”

Severus shrunk back into the shadows and Black snorted as he swept past Severus’ hiding place and then stopped and faced Lupin with a glare.

“You know what my family are like – right royal bastards. I don’t have any time for people who are into that sort of stuff. He’s part of it – always hanging around with Reggie and the other snakes.”

“I don’t know…” Lupin trailed off and shrugged before he looked up at Sirius. “Still. It doesn’t excuse the way you are with him, you know. I don’t think he has many friends, even if he does sometimes sit with Rosier, Lestrange and the others. He just seems a bit….lonely.”

“And you expect me to invite him over to the Gryffindor table for tea and toast? You’ve gone soft.”

“No.” Lupin shook his head and looked frustrated. “I _expect_ you not to be such an arse – I expect you not to bully someone just because it entertains you and James.”

“You don’t know anything about him – why are you defending him?”

Lupin looked at Black for a long moment and then arched his brow with a soft quirk of a smile. “You don’t know anything about him – why are you tormenting him?”

Black pulled a face and then shrugged. “Alright. I’ll try to behave.”

“Good.” Lupin chuckled and then punched Black lightly on the shoulder. “Time for Potions.”

Severus waited until the two boys had moved on and then moved from his hiding place, staring after their retreating backs for a long time before he turned and made his way to his next class, deep in thought.

OoooOOoooO

Severus felt his head twist to the side as a sickening crunch of bone and the sound of ragged breathing echoed through the night air as a fist connected with his face.

“Freak.” 

Severus fumbled for his wand but he found himself pushed to the wet, muddy floor before he was able to get it into his hand. He collapsed onto the ground and lay still, biting back a scream as a heel connected with his crotch. He curled into a ball and felt blood wet on his lips, the taste of it coppery on his tongue. He could feel his eye had already swollen and he prayed for it to be over.

It wasn’t just Black, Potter and their pack of Gryffindors who had taken a dislike to him. There was a select group of Ravenclaws who had tormented him from his first day and they were worse even than Potter when they put their minds to it. At least Potter never used his fists.

Severus heard rather than felt his attacker spit on him. He waited until he heard the footsteps and the rustle of clothing as his attacker walked away, clearly satisfied with the damage he had done for the evening. When he was sure he was quite alone, Severus curled himself up more tightly. He wanted to hide inside himself as he shivered on the damp grass and wondered when he would be free from this.

He must have passed out from the pain of his broken bones and when he came to, he could feel a hot heat around him, and he heard a snuffle and a whine. Severus cracked open the one eye which still appeared to be working and saw a shaggy black dog, nudging at his pockets. He hissed at the pain as the dog moved his body on the floor and the dog tilted his head to look at Severus and gave a low bark and another whine. It returned to its nudging, more gently this time and finally dislodged Severus’ wand, which it picked up carefully and dropped into Severus’ hand.

With a soft sound of thanks, Severus curled his fingers around the wand and then began to cast the necessary spells to fix his bones and to hide his cuts and bruises, movement becoming easier after each spell. When he was finished he sat up, his clothes damp and the night air chilling his body. He shivered and the dog licked his face after a moment, wiping up the blood. With a soft sound, Severus wrapped his arms around the dog’s neck and buried his face into the fur. He took warmth and strength from it, and finally let his tears fall as he clung on for dear life, not knowing who the dog belonged to and not particularly caring now, feeling for the first time as if there was someone - _something_ \- on his side.

OoooOOoooO

Severus set down his glass of Firewhiskey which was now empty and stood to move to the fire in the Room of Requirement. He crouched down in front of it and stretched his hands out to warm them in the flames. He heard the door open and then slam shut and turned, to see Sirius.

“Where have you been?” 

“With James – it’s been brilliant.” Sirius laughed with delight, his cheeks pink from the cool breeze of the winter.

Severus resisted the urge to smile back at Sirius, still sometimes wary of expressing his emotions. He had never really believed after the way things had started out with Black that anything good could have come from their relationship, but as their time at Hogwarts drew to an end, Severus was more convinced than ever that he had been wrong. The shaggy black dog he had met on the night of his attack had become something of a fixture in Severus’ life and it was some six months after that moment that Sirius had revealed his true identity. Severus smirked as he remembered how _that_ particular revelation had gone down.

“Potter is a prick.”

“He’s my best friend. Stop being an arse.” Sirius unlaced the cloak flung over his shoulders revealing his long, lean body in the process and Severus allowed himself a moment to drink in the sight. 

“You have a cover to maintain which is more than can be said for Potter. He just enjoys the sport of making others miserable.”

“You’re wrong.” Sirius shook his head and moved to Severus. “You forgave me, didn’t you?”

“Hardly.” Severus snorted and then stood and took in the rain on Sirius’ cloak. “What on earth have you been doing, Mutt?

“I went flying.” Sirius laughed and threw down his cloak, seeming to ignore the fact the expensive velvet was now covered in dust which mingled with the rainwater. “It’s fucking brilliant, out over the forest. I reckon I should have been a dragon or something.”

“As opposed to a shaggy great mongrel?” Severus bent to pick up the cloak, arranging it neatly on the arm of the sofa. “I am not sure you would be very subtle as a dragon. You’re bad enough as a dog.”

Sirius growled and then flashed Severus the kind of rakish smile that made Severus think of entirely inappropriate things. “You do know I hate you?”

“Oh, you have told me often enough.” Severus moved close to Sirius and then a little emboldened by the half glass of Firewhiskey he had finished off whilst waiting for Sirius, he moved a little closer still and whispered to him in a rough, hard-edged tone. “You certainly fuck me like you hate me.”

“And you bloody love it. Filthy bastard.” Sirius grinned and fisted his hand into Severus’ hair as he cocked his head to one side and licked his lips. “I don’t think anyone knows, pup, although Moony’s bound to find out soon. I reckon I must stink of you. Him being so wolfy around the moon doesn’t help.”

“I wish you wouldn’t call me that.” Severus scowled at Sirius and then hummed, thoughtfully. “Just because Lupin’s senses will be heightened in wolf form, it doesn’t mean he can suddenly hear and smell like a wolf when he hasn’t transformed, Black. If you had half a brain, you would know that.”

Sirius shrugged and then ran his tongue along Severus’ neck which made Severus buck his hips forward, despite himself. “Do you think _my_ senses are heightened around the full moon? I have been feeling rather…feral…lately.”

Severus snorted but wrapped his arms around Sirius nonetheless. “Animagi tend to reflect the inner traits of the witch or wizard.” Severus chuckled low in his throat. “You are always bloody _feral_ \- if feral is a euphemism for being a randy sod.”

With another low growl, Sirius walked Severus backwards until he felt his back hit the cool wall of the room, the stone rough through the thin cotton of his shirt. “Are you complaining?”

“Hardly.” Severus carefully controlled his voice, not wishing to sound as breathless as he actually felt because he really didn’t want to give Sirius the satisfaction. “It appears we have another couple of hours until dinner. What would you suggest we do to entertain ourselves?”

Sirius grinned, the same wide, eager grin which made Severus feel like his whole body was on fire when he saw it. 

“I have a few ideas.”

“Care to share?”

“Hm.” Sirius captured Severus’ lips in his own and tugged at his trousers, pushing his hand inside and wrapping it around Severus’ cock as he pulled back from the kiss, his breathing ragged and nipped at Severus’ earlobe. “I think I would rather show you.”

“Merlin.” Severus dropped his head back and pressed his hips forward into Sirius’ hand, as his eyes slowly closed and he gave himself over to the sensation of Sirius nipping a line of kisses down his neck and roughly stroking and squeezing him. “That sounds alright to me.”

OoooOOoooO

Severus watched, his face twisted into a grimace as Mulciber stroked his wand down the face of a man who looked as if he had been held captive for some time. The man had formerly been a Ministry official, Severus remembered – there had been some celebrations when he had been captured. He couldn’t for the life of him remember the man’s name anymore. It was Martin or Thomas or something – the last name sounding like a first.

He kept his face carefully neutral as the wand cut into the flesh on the man’s cheek. He had seen worse and he was quite sure he would soon witness worse. He continued to watch as another Death Eater – Rabastan – approached with a branding stick and pressed it against a bit of soiled, exposed flesh on the man’s thigh. The room stank of piss and burning flesh. It made Severus want to retch but he sat still, nonetheless.

The man screamed and begged and sounded half delirious. He had fought, at first. He had been one of the cocky ones – one of the ones who swore he would never tell. Those were the ones the Dark Lord loved the most. He enjoyed breaking their spirit as much as he enjoyed breaking their bones, finger by finger, with a flick of his wand. The man would surely die soon even if he wasn’t tortured to death this time. His hand was bandaged to hide stumps where a couple of his fingers had been. They often did that. They would send macabre gifts to the families for them to open with the children seated around the box. They wrapped them up to make them look like presents. 

Rabastan moved away and Bella twirled and danced around the man, leaning close and snapping at him before laughing to herself. Of all of them, Bella was undoubtedly the worst. She flirted with madness and somehow the men never really seemed scared of her at first. Perhaps they believed her to be easily overpowered, as slight as she was, or perhaps it was the way she would look at them, doe-eyed and sympathetic. She would make them plead with her, their words garbled and whispered as they spilled secrets they shouldn’t tell, unaware of the crowd listening to them. When Bella looked at them it was as if it was just her and them. Severus suspected she used magic. 

Now the Ministry official was being blasted with Cruciatus, his back arched and his mouth wide in a scream, his eyes wild and bloodied. Severus knew he wouldn’t last long. It was nearly his time. He had watched people tortured with Cruciatus until their organs failed and their bodies shook and shivered on the floor, surrounded by their own filth, desperate for a loving touch. The killing curse was the kindest thing for them, then. There was no one left, any semblance of humanity shaken from their bodies. It was like receiving the Kiss in some ways, only longer and far more painful. There was no floating away with Cruciatus. Each blast from a wand made your nerves clench and your body writhe and turn most unnaturally to try to escape the agony. Severus knew for he had been on the receiving end on numerous occasions.

Sure enough the man began to shake and tremble and as his eyes began to bleed and his mouth dripped with blood, the Dark Lord approached and finished the job with a snap of his hand which caused the man’s neck to spin and snap, his body falling limp to the floor.

“They have far less…tolerance…these days.” The Dark Lord looked around and then gestured to Greyback. “Do we have another?”

“Plenty where that came from.” The wolf laughed and nodded as Severus looked at his hands, keeping his face neutral.

“Severus – I do believe I will allow _you_ to play tonight.” Severus raised his eyes to meet the Dark Lord’s own, trying to swallow around the lump in his throat.

“Thank you, my Lord. You are too kind.”

OoooOOoooO

Severus aimed his wand at the ceiling where a small fly moved over the chipped plaster and imagined the fly trained under the force of one of his spells. Sometimes he tried them out, on beetles and spiders and other insects which gathered in the dark, dank corners of his dormitory at Hogwarts. Now that he was seventeen he could practice his spells at home, hidden in his room from the watchful gaze of his father.

A door slammed downstairs and he could hear the shouting begin. His mother yelled and wept while his father snarled and slammed another door. The softer snick of a door opening and closing and the brisk tip-tapping of footsteps down the garden path indicated his mother had left for the evening. She would do that more frequently now and sometimes she rarely came home at all. Severus wasn’t quite sure but he felt his appearance somehow displeased her, his persona too complicated and too like his father’s in many ways to render him worthy of the same protective cooing and nurturing she had bestowed on him as a child.

Severus slid his wand through his fingers and hummed quietly at the magic he could feel which always calmed him somewhat. He craved the darkness of it, the power. He heard the sound of the television from downstairs and turned onto his side and curled into a ball. 

“Soon, Sirius…soon.”

Severus closed his eyes and waited for the darkness.

OoooOOoooO

“My Lord, I have news – such news.”

Severus raised an eyebrow as Lucius moved into the space around the Dark Lord and saw the way his forehead was damp with perspiration, his robes a little dusty and crumpled. He looked rather different without his usual composure.

“Well?”

The Dark Lord grew more impatient these days. His thirst for blood was greater still and the killings had become more random, less coherently planned – bloodshed for the sake of bloodshed. Even the Dark Lord’s previous fondness for torture had dissipated somewhat and he seemed to prefer a massacre on a grand scale as opposed to drawn out sport with one mid-ranking Ministry official or another.

“A prophecy, my Lord – spoken in the Hogs Head – I heard every word of it.” Lucius paused for a moment for dramatic effect and Severus rolled his eyes. He was quite sure this was another one of Lucius’ attempts to ingratiate himself rather than being a serious piece of news to take to the Order. 

“Don’t test my patience, Lucius…” The Dark Lord’s voice was low and silky smooth, but the threat in his words made Severus clench his hand into a fist for a moment as he kept still and watched as Lucius dropped to his knees and looked up at the Dark Lord.   
“Forgive me, my Lord. I overheard a women talking to Dumbledore. She told him of a prophecy – about a boy born at the end of July…”

Severus listened as Lucius simpered and bowed before the Dark Lord and told of what he had overheard. He clenched his hands, his nails digging into his palms as he heard the names spoken into the room and thought only of Sirius.

Potter.

As soon as he could leave without causing suspicion, Severus left the large hall and Apparated back to Grimmauld Place. He made his way to the kitchen where Sirius was sitting with Albus. Severus grimaced as the grin on Sirius’ face faltered, only able to imagine what his own expression must look like.

“What’s happened?”

“Potter. Potter and the Longbottoms. They have become targets.” Severus moved into the house at Grimmauld Place and sat next to Sirius as he looked at Albus. “Serious targets, I’m afraid. The Dark Lord is after their children.”

“Harry? Why on earth…?”

“I believe Albus knows. You were heard – by Lucius Malfoy.” Severus arched his eyebrow at Albus and then looked to Sirius. “A prophecy, one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord, supposedly. Lucius was rather pleased to be able to share that, as you can imagine. You know how he likes to ingratiate himself.”

“Bastard!” Sirius hit his fist on the table and then looked up at Albus. “What can we do?”

Albus stood, his face marred as he seemed lost in thought. “I have an idea. It will require one person trusted by each family.”

Sirius puffed his chest out a little and stood, moving to Albus and putting his hand on his arm. “Let me. You know I can be trusted.”

Albus looked at Sirius carefully and then nodded, once. “Very well. Give me this evening to get things in place. I will contact you when I am ready.”

“Of course.” 

Severus watched as Albus left for the Floo and stood to place his hand on Sirius’ shoulder.

“Come, now. There is nothing you can do until you are called for.”

“I know.” Sirius turned in Severus’ arms and then pressed a kiss to his lips as he tangled a hand in Severus’ hair. “How are you?”

“As well as I can be and not in any immediate danger. Stop worrying.” 

“These are dark times and you are right in the thick of it – it is rather difficult _not_ to worry.”

Severus pressed their foreheads together and closed his eyes, relishing the warmth of Sirius and drinking in the scent of brandy and cologne.

“I know.”

OoooOOoooO

“I believe our newest recruit is known to some of you – he has already proved most helpful.”

Severus looked up from his game of Wizarding chess with Avery. They had been spending most of their nights in meetings since Lucius had brought word of the prophecy but the Dark Lord had never given any indication as to what he intended to do to bring the Potters and the Longbottoms out of hiding. Many new recruits had joined over the course of the last few months and Severus had lost track of them all, although he had always fed back to Albus the names of those involved. He strongly suspected one or two of them acted only under Imperius.

As his eyes raised he stilled, trying to keep his face in a mask which would hide his surprise. The young man, simpering and pandering to the Dark Lord was someone from Hogwarts – one of those closest to Potter, Lupin and Black. Peter, Severus remembered from conversations with Sirius. Peter Pettigrew.

“You have been on our side for a long time…Peter? I rather thought you more likely to be a member of the Order. I know you are friends with the Black defector and the werewolf.” Severus made sure his voice came out as a cool sneer, trying to hide the panic he felt in the pit of his stomach.

“I am – I am _very_ good friends with them. They trust me with their lives.” Pettigrew let out a high pitched laugh at this and the Dark Lord smiled the terrible sort of smile which made Severus shiver. He wondered when he could leave, when he could warn Sirius, his heart beating rapidly as he suddenly felt that something was very wrong.

“We have matters to attend to, come Pettigrew.” With that the Dark Lord moved to leave and Severus stared after him.

“Your move, Snape.” Severus looked up at Avery and then nodded, needing to be careful not to blow his cover as he moved one of his pieces, his mind no longer on the game.

When he felt he had left it sufficiently long enough to leave without rousing suspicion, Severus left the room and the assembled Death Eaters and moved swiftly to Grimmauld Place. As he looked for somewhere safe to Apparate from, he felt a searing flash of pain through his arm where the Dark Mark had been etched onto his pale skin. 

He remembered when he had shown it to Sirius.

_“What the hell is wrong with you?”_

_Severus had crouched down on the floor, clutching his arm and looked up at Sirius, pleading with him._

_“I’m marked.”_

_“You’re…” Sirius swallowed and then moved to Severus. Whispering a charm, Sirius picked up Severus in his arms and carried him indoors. He pulled Severus into his arms and slowly unbuttoned the cuff of his shirt, rolling up the sleeve to reveal the black blemished, raised and red-edged on Severus’ pale skin. “That bastard!”_

_“Don’t.” Severus hissed as Sirius trailed his fingers lightly over the Mark._

_“It hurts?”_

_“Yes, it hurts, Mutt.”_

_“I don’t like him having his Mark on you. Not when there is no sign of me on your body.”_

_“No…” Severus paused and then looked up into Sirius’ eyes, feeling like he might drown in them. He cast a quick Accio and handed Sirius an ivory handled hunting knife. “Then mark me. I would rather have you do so than him in any event.”_

_“No. You don’t mean that.” Sirius looked at Severus, his eyes a little wide as Severus nodded._

_“Yes, I do.” Severus began to unpluck the buttons of his shirt and then pushed it off his shoulders as he lay down and reached for Sirius. “Don’t chicken out on me.”_

Severus swallowed and rubbed the mark which had long before scarred just above his heart. A star. Like the Dog Star, Sirius had said – something to look to when everything else was dark. Severus looked up at the sky to see the stars which he often did after meetings and his breath hitched as he saw something else entirely. The green half-light in the otherwise black night, the snake curling out from the mouth of a skull which opened in a silent scream – or perhaps it was laughter. Severus had never been able to decide.

He moved as quickly as he could to return to Grimmauld Place to look for Sirius, but nobody was there. The paintings on the walls screamed and cried as Severus looked at a broken glass on the floor. He could smell the brandy which had spilt out onto the stone and the chair pushed back from the table indicated someone had left in a hurry. 

Severus sat in the discarded chair, still warm from Sirius and he waited.

OoooOOoooO

The wind howled and the rain lashed the cliff face as Severus moved to the gates. They lifted slowly to let him enter, creaking as they rose, the tips of the Portcullis sharp metallic spikes. On the way to the prison similar black metal spikes were driven into the ground. The heads of witches and wizards of particular notoriety were preserved and driven onto the spikes.

Severus looked at the frozen screams and glassy-eyed stares and the mangled mess of a hastily severed head just blow the neck. They served as reminders of the past and evoked a time when execution had been legal and brutal, something of a sport for the society at the time.

The Executioners remained at Azkaban, although their role was now simply to oversee the administering of the Dementors’ Kiss. Severus shuddered at the thought, long having believed a swift death was kinder than having one’s soul sucked out of one’s body to leave only an empty shell, not quite living but yet not quite dead.

One of the Executioners greeted Severus now, his face covered with a black hood and dark holes reflecting a glint behind his eyes.

“You’re here to see the Black fella?”

“Correct.” Severus looked around the dark walls, thick with moss and damp with water and peered behind the Executioner, trying to see behind him. All he could see was a long, black tunnel.

“Don’t get many coming to this neck of the woods. He your son or something?”

Severus gave the idiot his best glare and shook his head. “Hardly.”

“Alright – go down the corridor and then you get a lift to the cells. Tony will show you where to go from there.”

“Thank you.” Severus nodded and then moved to walk down the corridor. The smell of decaying flesh filled his nostrils and he had to stop to retch, his hand connecting with the cold, damp, rock. He drew his hand away and saw, even in the darkness, a reddish tint on his palm. Blood. Severus pulled a face and moved towards a crackling light. In the corner of the corridor was a man with a hood over his head, rocking backwards and forwards and mumbling. His hands were tied behind his back by the sleeves of his jacket, a bizarre sort of contraption. Severus stopped, wondering if he should do anything and the man stilled and began to laugh, an odd, high pitched sort of sound. With a shudder, Severus moved quickly to the lift and stepped inside, the door closing on him and shutting out the sound of the laughter. The magical lift moved quickly upwards until Severus felt his ears popping and he stepped outside of the lift when it jolted to a halt.

“You’re here to see the Black chap?”

“Indeed.” Severus inclined his head as another Executioner greeted him from the lift and gestured down the corridor. 

“Down there. Third cell on the right.”

“Thank you.” Severus moved through the corridors and flinched back a little at the clatter of chains as people pressed themselves up against the bars of the cells, some talking gibberish, others just staying still in their cells and not moving save for a slow rocking back and forth. Severus recognised some of them – he should have come in under glamour. He could only hope if they ever did escape they would be too demented to remember this particular day and his face on the corridor visiting a supposed sworn enemy.

Eventually he reached the cell and he nodded to the guard who confiscated his wand and let him into the cell, calling after him.

“No use trying to do any wandless stuff, either. No magic in the cells, they’re warded against it. Try anything funny and the Dementors will be onto you quicker than you can say ‘kiss me quick, squeeze me slowly.’ The man laughed, clearly finding his own humour hilarious and then turned his back for a moment. “I’ll turn my back, gents. Just for a bit, though.”

“It’s a long way down.” Sirius looked up at Severus and laughed as he turned his gaze to the small window which let wind whistle through the cramped room. “They all fly in here. Apart from the jumpers. They just fall and fall and we never hear them land.”

“Hush now.” Severus snorted and looked around the small cell. The floor was damp and the bed in the corner of the room was barely adequate for a grown man. Sirius looked filthy and as Severus moved to sit next to him, he could smell the stench of unwashed skin. He gestured to the sink. “You are given soap and water, are you not?”

“Some marks can never be cleaned. You know that, Severus.” Sirius leaned back against the bed and closed his eyes as he began to hum to himself. “I didn’t do it, you know. He fooled them all.”

“I know you didn’t do it, Mutt. It’s why I’m here. I assume it was something to do with Pettigrew. I have been trying to piece things together – that night, you see, he came to a meeting. The Dark Lord called him a loyal servant and suggested he might be able to help. I can only assume you switched and that is why you killed him.”

Sirius snorted and turned to Severus. “I didn’t kill him. He got away. He’s an unregistered Animagi – a rat.” He laughed and looked at Severus with wild eyes. “Don’t mention Padfoot, though – the walls have ears.”

Severus nodded and then spoke clearly. “You’re quite mad.”

“As a hatter.” Sirius nodded and then leaned close to Severus, his breath hot and stale. “You will look after him for me? Until I find a way to leave?”

“Always.” Severus nodded once and then reached for Sirius, pressing his lips to his ear despite the smell of piss and sweat on his rags. “Live for me – whatever you do, if you kill or torture or fuck your way out of this I don’t care, just _live_ for me.” He took Sirius’ hand and pressed it over his chest where the scars still marked his skin and whispered as he looked into Sirius’ eyes. “Your mark lasted longer than his – yours never fades.”

“It’s exactly as it should be.” Sirius smiled at Severus then. “Whistle, and I’ll come to you.”

“Damn right, Mutt.” Severus laughed although the sound caught in his throat and he leaned forward to crush their lips together, not caring about the foul taste and the slightly vacant look Sirius had. He had missed him so fucking much it was all he could do not to take him or let himself be taken right there on the filthy floor.

“Come on now, gents – it’s hardly proper behaviour.”

Severus pulled back from Sirius and growled low in his throat when he saw the look in the guard’s eye, a predatory sort of gleam as he flicked his gaze over Sirius. “Live for me.” Severus whispered the three words and then stood, leaving Sirius on the floor. “And use your soap, Black – clean yourself up and don’t let them take you from me. I will be back and next time I expect to see an improvement.”

“When?”

“Soon.” Severus advanced to the door and held his hand out to the guard when the cell shut, so he could reclaim his wand. Before he left he murmured under his breath an _Obliviate_ , ensuring the guard forgot both what he had seen and any memory of Severus having visited. 

He turned from Sirius and left Azkaban behind, the tall cliffs stretching high into the night sky and the sound of the screeches of prisoners echoing in his ears.

OoooOOoooO

“I wondered when I would see you again.” Sirius pushed Severus back against the tree and kissed him, hard. His mouth tasted like peppermint cordial and cigarettes.

“I knew you could do it – escape, I mean – now you can do it again. Albus has a plan, he’s sending someone to you.”

Severus thought back to the moment when he thought he had lost Sirius again, when Peter ran and Remus had turned to the moon. He had heard the growls and snarls and he had shouted to Padfoot to run – to run to the Forest. He knew Padfoot would know where to go, in the end. They had always come to the same spot during Hogwarts. After speaking to Albus, Severus had come to find Sirius there, knowing he might not see Sirius for some time.

“I don’t want to leave just yet – Peter’s on the run and Harry…he needs me…” Sirius paused and then let out a low groan as he moved his lips over Severus’ neck. “Then there’s you. Fuck, do you have any idea how much I missed you? You and Padfoot were the only things that kept me living in that cell.”

“I will find you – you can be sure of that.” Severus moved to put his hands on Sirius’ hips and pulled him close. He was still filthy from the prison and from hiding but Severus didn’t care. He was raw and animal and smelled of Sirius – he was all Severus needed.

“Make sure you do. I’ll be in touch.”

Severus could hear the swish of wings and movement behind him as well as a crackle of twigs. Sometimes he forgot the forest was alive. It was wise not to forget. He kissed Sirius hard, fisting his hand into his hair and then nipped his lip before pulling back.

“Go, now – before I make you stay.”

“Be safe.” Sirius squeezed Severus’ hand once and Severus nodded and turned to leave. As he walked more quickly through the forest which seemed to be closing in on him he sighed and breathed out a silent prayer as he reached a break in the trees.

“Live for me.”

OoooOOoooO

It was night and Severus returned from the meeting, his body bruised and at least one bone broken, his face bloody.

“What the hell did they do to you?”

“Cruciatus. The Dark Lord’s sense of whimsy.”

“Bastard.” Sirius pulled out some bottles and his wand and began to cast spells as he dabbed at Severus’ wounds until he appeared to be satisfied that they were clean and healing. “What happened?”

“He made an example of me – for no reason other than he can.” Severus sat back in his chair and unbuttoned his robes to get some air as his chest felt unusually tight. “I wish I could give you happier news. I killed three men tonight and was able to save only one man without the others noticing.”

“You don’t have to do this – it’s too much.”

“Unfortunately this is exactly what I have to do – to have eyes and ears on the inside is invaluable and it has saved Potter’s life more than once – you know that.”

“I hate sitting here while you’re all out fighting.” Sirius growled under his throat and then stood and reached for Severus. “Will you come to bed with me?”

“Gladly.” Severus stood and winced and then gave Sirius a smirk. “You might have to go gently with me tonight – I am not feeling quite myself.”

Sirius looked at Severus for a long moment and then pulled him into his arms. When he did so it was firm and warm but with a tenderness Sirius rarely displayed and Severus allowed himself to melt into the embrace as Sirius kissed him. When they broke apart, Sirius’ eyes were dark. 

Without another word they clasped their hands together and moved up the stairs, their footfall echoing through the large house.

OoooOOoooO

Severus cursed under his breath as he Apparated to Grimmauld Place, hoping to find someone - _anyone_ \- there that he might speak to. He remembered Potter’s words and felt sick to his stomach.

“Padfoot – he’s got Padfoot!”

He saw Potter’s eyes, pleading with him and he saw Sirius, angry and frustrated with himself for not being able to do anything. He walked into the kitchen, hoping he would find someone there who could help and then stopped when he saw Sirius, laughing at something Remus said, as he looked relaxed and happy.

“Evening, Severus.” Remus nodded at Severus and he let out a low groan, thinking of the futile lessons he had been having with Potter.

“Fuck!” 

“Severus?” Sirius stood and moved to put his hand on Severus’ shoulder as he looked closely at him. “What is it?”

“Potter.” Severus spoke through gritted teeth. “I believe he has been tricked, believing you kidnapped and tortured – he told me you were being held at the Ministry. I left Hogwarts when I could to come here and get assistance.”

“Yet here I am…” Sirius turned to face those assembled, his eyes full of the fear and fire Severus remembered from the first war and those moments when he believed those he loved to be in danger. “We must go to him.”

“Do you think it’s wise…?” Remus trailed off as he saw the look Sirius gave him and nodded, standing and pulling his wand from his jacket. “I will be right beside you.”

Severus gripped his wand. “As will I.”

“Severus.” Albus shook his head as he looked at Severus. “You know you cannot. You cannot fight on our side.” 

“Then as far as you will know I will not be fighting on your side.” Severus held up his Death Eater mask and stood tall, noticing how a couple of those in the room flinched a little at the sight of it. 

“Very well. But you can give Riddle no indication you are on our side.”

“Understood.” Severus inclined his head and then leaned into Sirius, whispering words which were only for Sirius’ ears.

“ _Live._ ”

“Go, pup. Don’t you worry about me.” Sirius brushed his lips against Severus’ ear and then moved back as Severus cleared his throat, aware of the eyes on them. Although their relationship was no real secret among those assembled, the were not typically demonstrative with one another.

With a final curt nod, Severus stepped back from Sirius. 

He Apparated to the Ministry and began to look for Potter.

OoooOOoooO

Severus could hear the voices behind the veil. It was peaceful in the room now, dark and cold. He heard a growl and a low whine then a bark and somewhere, behind the covering, he could hear laughter.

Remus had come back late into the night. Potter had gone straight to bed, his face streaked with grime and his eyes swollen with tears. Severus had been forced to Apparate before the end but as he looked behind Remus to the door of Grimmauld Place and realised nobody followed them he had known, somehow, that Sirius wasn’t coming back.

“Show me.” 

He had made Remus give him the memory and he had watched it over and over in the Pensieve in the old house. It looked as if Sirius was flying. He remembered what Sirius had said in Azkaban and wondered if he had hit the ground. He could hear the sounds of Potter yelling, then screaming and of Remus crying out for Sirius. He heard sobbing and wondered afterwards if the sobbing had been his own as he dry-heaved and pulled himself out of the Pensieve. He had only felt it again for the shortest time, yet already Severus missed the warmth of Padfoot.

“I sometimes think you like the dog more than me.” Sirius had said, when they were sweaty and tangled together in the bed in his room. Severus had asked if he was planning to sleep as Padfoot that night.

“Hardly.” Severus smirked and pressed his lips to Sirius’ neck before he pulled back to look at him. “I don’t mind the mongrel so very much, though. I suppose he reminds me of Hogwarts, somewhat.”

“I remember.” Sirius had kissed Severus properly then, and the kiss was very un-Sirius like, tender and full of soft emotion. When Sirius transformed he had listened to Severus talk in a way Severus never talked to people and never had again. Sometimes, with Padfoot, it was easier. 

Severus stretched out a hand towards the veil and stood for a moment. The tips of his fingers felt warm and he wanted to step forwards, to fall into the beautiful darkness.

“Professor?”

Severus turned then and Harry stood before him. His eyes shone green in the darkness, just like his mother’s – the same green as the killing curse. Severus shook his head at him, just once and looked to the scar on his forehead. The boy was already damned – he had known it from the moment he had heard him speaking the language of the Dark Lord. They were connected in a way Severus wasn’t sure he fully understood, but he felt certain the end would result in the boy’s death. There was nothing Severus could do to stop it.

“Severus. Think very carefully. This is not the right decision.”

Where Harry has stood, his eyes wide and hopeful, the colouring flickered to cool blue and the body lengthened and aged. Albus. Of course Albus would be there. Manipulative bastard.

Yet it is, nevertheless, my decision.” Severus watched as Albus faded into nothing and the room was quiet and still once more, but for the low snuffling of a dog, right at the edge of the veil but just to the other side.

Severus thought of Harry again, the young face etched with pain as he screamed at the loss of Sirius. He wasn’t sure Potter could win this war and the alternative was too bleak to contemplate. He looked back towards the veil and stepped closer as a dog howled, somewhere in the distance.

“I’m coming, Padfoot.”

Severus took a breath and closed his eyes as he stepped into the darkness.

_~Fin~_


End file.
